VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0063/01 0321655
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011655Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1102
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 0066

UNCLAS RABAT 000063 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR H, NEA/RA AND NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA PREL KPAL KDEM EFIN AG WI MO
SUBJECT: CODEL GREGG DISCUSSES ALGERIA, WESTERN SAHARA, 
MEPP, DEMOCRATIZATION AND MICROFINANCE WITH PRIME MINISTER 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  CODEL Gregg held a wide-ranging 
discussion with the Prime Minister on January 5.  Prime 
Minister El Fassi addressed Moroccan relations with Algeria, 
stating that Algeria wanted to maintain the status quo on 
Western Sahara.  The Prime Minister emphasized progress on 
the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as a key to improving 
U.S.-Moroccan relations, and Morocco's role as a model of 
tolerant Islam.  He also discussed human rights, the role of 
women in Moroccan politics, and microfinance.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) During the CODEL's visit to Morocco from January 5 to 
7, Senators Judd Gregg, Evan Bayh, Arlen Specter, Michael 
Enzi, John Cornyn and Amy Klobuchar met with Prime Minister 
Abbas El Fassi on January 5.  The Ambassador accompanied the 
Senators, and the Prime Minister was accompanied by his 
Secretary General, Mohammed Hajoui. 
 
---------------------- 
Relations with Algeria 
---------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In response to a question about the situation in 
Algeria, El Fassi called Algeria a centralized state run by 
the army despite the fact that "its people want to govern 
themselves."  It was the army that wanted to maintain the 
status quo on the Western Sahara because prolonging the 
conflict benefited the army and kept it in power, he opined. 
By contrast, the Western Sahara issue is "sacred" for all 
Moroccans -- not just the Government.  El Fassi expressed a 
desire for better relations with Algeria, especially for 
opening the border between the two countries.  The Arab 
Maghreb Union would be much stronger with open borders; 
furthermore, the Maghreb region would be stronger in lobbying 
Europe if it presented a united front rather than each state 
going to Europe individually, said the Prime Minister. 
 
----------- 
Middle East 
----------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In response to questions about fostering better 
Moroccan-American understanding, El Fassi emphasized the 
importance of progress on the Israeli-Palestinian peace 
process (MEPP).  He lamented the "genocide" against 
Palestinians and "violations" of their human rights, as well 
as the "silence of superpowers" on the issue.  "Verbal 
protests" against Israeli settlements are not enough, he 
added, and "we are waiting for President Obama's steps to 
reinforce peace."  These criticisms notwithstanding, El Fassi 
reiterated Morocco's support for the MEPP and reminded the 
delegation that Morocco was an example of tolerance and 
coexistence that reflects universal values.  Morocco's 
version of Islam, he concluded, "combats violence, respects 
human and women's rights, and promotes justice." 
 
------------------------- 
Democracy and Development 
------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) El Fassi also underscored Moroccan projects for 
democracy, modernization and reform, noting in particular the 
King's efforts to increase women's participation in politics. 
 Morocco required a 12 percent quota of women on all parties' 
electoral lists in the local council elections last June, he 
explained, and as a result women won 13 percent of the seats, 
compared less than one half of one percent representation 
after the 2003 elections.  He expressed his government's 
desire to continue on this path towards more elected women. 
On human rights, he highlighted Morocco's Consultative 
Council for Human Rights, made up of scholars and political 
party members from the majority and opposition.  The 
government also issued a law making torture a crime and 
compensating those who were victims of torture during the 
"Years of Lead" under the late King Hassan II.  He also 
discussed the government's respect for freedom of the press 
in Morocco. 
 
¶6.  (U) On the economic development side, El Fassi addressed 
rural development and pointed to projects to build airports, 
seaports and highways.  The Government was building 2,000 
kilometers per year of roads in rural areas, he added. 
Comparing unemployment in Morocco to Algeria, he drew 
attention to the fact that Morocco in 2008 had a 5.6 percent 
GDP growth rate while Algeria only had a two percent GDP 
growth rate in the same year.  In response to a question on 
microfinance, the Prime Minister explained that Morocco was 
trying hard to fight poverty and represented a model in the 
region in this respect.  Microfinance loans -- under USD 
 
6,000 ) mostly benefit poor women in rural areas who are 
under 35 years old.  He stated that approximately 500,000 
people had already benefited from this type of loan. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Comment:  El Fassi's focus on Algeria reflects both 
Morocco's national obsession with its neighbor and the 
dismally low point to which relations between the two 
countries have sunk over the past several months.  Regarding 
the MEPP, he painted a much harsher picture of Israel than 
did Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri in his meeting with 
the CODEL (septel) -- reflecting his more populist view and 
the fact that he spends much less time working directly on 
the issue.  End Comment. 
 
¶8.  (U) CODEL Gregg cleared this message. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Moro cco 
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